tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/laughing-gas-14595/articlesLaughing gas – The Conversation2023-04-20T11:54:34Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2034482023-04-20T11:54:34Z2023-04-20T11:54:34ZNitrous oxide: why the environment isn’t amused about laughing gas<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520202/original/file-20230411-24-99jttk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C0%2C4578%2C2577&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/london-england-august-2014-nitrous-oxide-1404940571">Lenscap Photography/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A young man breathes deeply from a gas-filled bag. He begins to feel a pleasurable sensation “particularly in the chest and extremities” before dancing around and then collapsing in a heap. A few minutes later he comes to and is consumed by a fit of giggles. The young man is a chemist, living in Bristol and his <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b09hs6wr">name is Humphry Davy</a>. The year is 1799 and Davy has just discovered the euphoric effects of nitrous oxide (N₂O), which he names “laughing gas”. </p>
<p>Word soon spread through high society and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-20/laughing-gas-parties-discovery-of-anaesthesia/10811060">laughing gas parties</a> became all the rage. But, despite its pain relief properties, it wasn’t adopted in medical settings until the middle of the 19th century.</p>
<p>Now the UK government is considering outlawing possession of the gas over concerns about health risks <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65088226">when used as a recreational drug</a>. But it is overlooking another threat it poses to humanity: it is a powerful greenhouse gas. </p>
<p>N₂O is one of the most popular recreational drugs among 16-24 year olds but <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/publication-of-acmds-review-on-nitrous-oxide">heavy use can cause spine damage</a>. </p>
<p>The UK government has made it clear its intention to make possession of the gas a criminal offence. Meanwhile others, including former government drug advisor David Nutt, see criminalisation as <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/professor-david-nutt-former-government-adviser-says-alcohol-is-most-dangerous-drug-11909379">an overreaction</a>. The gas is now used in rocket fuel, as a aerosol propellant – particularly for whipped cream – as well anaesthetic gas and air. So banning private possession won’t do enough to tackle the damage it is doing to our planet.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519871/original/file-20230406-1028-29woex.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Taking laughing gas in the house of a tooth-drawer, 1820.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wellcome Collection</span></span>
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<p>Like carbon dioxide (CO₂), N₂O can <a href="https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/doi/full/10.1308/rcsbull.2020.147">absorb infrared radiation from the Sun</a>, but its structure allows it to do so much more efficiently. Its potency as a greenhouse gas is about <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2780-0">300 times that of carbon dioxide</a>. So the cans of whipped cream and the small canisters containing the gas, (known as whippits to recreational users) have a <a href="https://files.core.ac.uk/pdf/2612/81514516.pdf">surprising ‘carbon footprint’</a>. Each can or canister contains just eight grams of N₂O. But when released into the atmosphere this has the equivalent effect of 2.4 kilograms of CO₂, which is about the amount emitted from driving an SUV for ten miles.</p>
<h2>No laughing matter</h2>
<p>The concentration of N₂O <a href="https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-atmospheric-concentrations-greenhouse-gases">in the atmosphere is very low</a>, (335 parts per billion) about a thousand times lower than CO₂. But, like CO₂, N₂O levels are on the rise. Concentrations are about 20% higher than during Humphry Davy’s time. </p>
<p>Despite these low concentrations, N₂O’s potency means it still has a significant effect on the climate. <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/11092019/nitrous-oxide-climate-pollutant-explainer-greenhouse-gas-agriculture-livestock/">It is the third most damaging greenhouse gas</a> and is responsible for about 6% of the warming we are observing today (<a href="https://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/research/energy/downloads/methaneuk/chapter01.pdf">methane is the second, accounting for 10%</a>).</p>
<p>Unfortunately N₂O’s impact doesn’t stop there. <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1176985">N₂O is now the main threat to the ozone layer</a> since CFC chemicals were banned in the 1980s. Once N₂O is released at ground level it takes about 100 years to migrate to the stratosphere (the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere) where UV light catalysis its conversion to nitric oxide (NO). This then reacts with ozone (O₃), forming another pollutant - nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and molecular oxygen (O₂) - which already makes up 21% of the atmosphere.</p>
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<p>Whippits are a relatively minor source of human emissions of nitrous oxide, the vast majority (some 70%) <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41612-022-00265-3">comes from agriculture</a>. <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0kb4505k">Nitrogen-based fertilisers</a>, critical for farming, break down into a variety of nitrogen compounds, including N₂O. Other sources include the burning of fossil and biomass fuels, emissions from industry (particularly in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17847387/">manufacturing of nylon</a>), and release while being used as an <a href="https://anaesthetists.org/Home/Resources-publications/Environment/Nitrous-oxide-project">anaesthetic in clinical settings</a>.</p>
<h2>The solution</h2>
<p>Many of these N₂O emissions can be tackled through simple changes of behaviour. Applying more sparing amounts of fertilisers at the right part of the growing season means more fertilisers being taken up by plants. As a result less fertiliser is left in the soil where it runs off into water ways and breaks down into N₂O. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, in clinical settings, huge amounts of N₂O are released through leaky valves, expired stock and <a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/thieves-steal-nitrous-oxide-oxygen-17967243">theft for recreational use</a>. Some parts of the NHS are already putting systems in place to <a href="https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/what-we-do/sustainable-specialties/anaesthetics/nitrous-oxide-project">tackle many of these issues</a> through upgrading gas manifolds, security and stock control. </p>
<p>N₂O is one of the gases targeted for reductions in international agreements, such as the <a href="https://www.oecd.org/dev/1923119.pdf">Kyoto Protocol</a> and <a href="https://unfccc.int/news/rise-in-greenhouse-gas-concentrations-jeopardizes-paris-agreement-temperature-targets">Paris agreement</a>, so its reduction does form part of government targets to reduce emissions of warming gases. And there are alternatives to N₂O for clinical and medical use as well as in food industries. </p>
<p>Anaesthetists can choose from many other anaesthetics and analgesics, the nylon industry is moving away from processes that release the gas. And if you are tempted by strawberries and cream, use some elbow grease to whip up a bowl instead of turning to the aerosol can.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203448/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark Lorch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>People are becoming more aware of the health risks of laughing gas, but fewer people realise it’s a potent greenhouse gas.Mark Lorch, Professor of Science Communication and Chemistry, University of HullLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2012652023-03-07T13:50:46Z2023-03-07T13:50:46ZNitrous oxide: Suella Braverman’s call to have the drug reclassified has been rejected by government advisers<p>The UK government’s advisory panel on drugs has rejected a call to ban the sale and possession of nitrous oxide – also known as laughing gas or nos – despite the home secretary’s desire to see the drug banned.</p>
<p>In 2021, the then home secretary Priti Patel asked her independent scientific advisers to review the evidence of harm associated with nitrous oxide. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/advisory-council-on-the-misuse-of-drugs">ACMD</a>) has now reviewed the evidence and has not <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/publication-of-acmds-review-on-nitrous-oxide">recommended</a> nitrous oxide be placed under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA), which would have made possession of the drug for non-exempted purposes a criminal offence.</p>
<p>The current home secretary, Suella Braverman, has made no secret of her <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jan/26/uk-ban-on-laughing-gas-sale-or-possession-poised-to-go-ahead">view</a> that nitrous oxide should be brought under the MDA. One reason for government interest has been its recent policy focus on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jan/25/laughing-gas-could-be-banned-from-sale-in-antisocial-behaviour-crackdown">antisocial behaviour</a>. </p>
<p>Discarded nitrous oxide canisters are a highly visible form of littering, and use is often associated with nuisance behaviour in groups of young people hanging out in public places. Three and a half tonnes of these canisters were <a href="https://theconversation.com/nitrous-oxide-neurologists-report-a-worrying-rise-in-young-people-with-paralysis-189722">collected</a> during last year’s Notting Hill festival alone. Targeting nitrous oxide would provide a clear signal of policy intent.</p>
<p>Possession of nitrous oxide for legitimate purposes (use as an anaesthetic, or as a catering product) is <a href="https://theconversation.com/criminalising-nitrous-oxide-users-is-no-laughing-matter-if-it-distracts-from-more-serious-drug-problems-167297">not a criminal offence</a>. In their review, the ACMD acknowledged the potential for the drug to produce health and social harms, but argued that classifying the drug under the MDA - and the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/penalties-drug-possession-dealing">penalties</a> this would bring - would be disproportionate, and there was insufficient evidence to justify this. </p>
<p>There are also developments in the UK, supported by the police, to move away from the punishment of drug possession offences towards <a href="https://transformdrugs.org/drug-policy/uk-drug-policy/diversion-schemes">diversionary interventions</a>, such as drug education, and so the recommendation should also be seen in this wider context.</p>
<p>This is the second time that the ACMD has been asked to review the evidence on nitrous oxide. The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/acmd-advice-on-nitrous-oxide-abuse">last review in 2015</a> reached the same conclusion: that it should not be prohibited.</p>
<h2>Harms are real but very rare</h2>
<p>Nitrous oxide use is not exactly a niche drug, with at least <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o2155.full">half a million</a> people using the drug every year, making it the second most popular recreational drug after cannabis. </p>
<p>Some neurologists have expressed <a href="https://theconversation.com/nitrous-oxide-neurologists-report-a-worrying-rise-in-young-people-with-paralysis-189722">concern</a> about the increasing number of people who have been harmed by the drug. However, these patients tend to be those who have used very large amounts of the drug, often over a <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o2297">prolonged period</a> of time. </p>
<p>The health <a href="https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.theabn.org/resource/collection/6750BAE6-4CBC-4DDB-A684-116E03BFE634/N2O-SACD_Guidelines_-_ABN_-_12.02_-_1.1.11_-_AP_FINAL_FOR_RELEASE.pdf">problems</a> include paralysis and numbness in the hands and feet. Other neurological problems such as memory loss, poor balance and weakness in the arms and legs have also been found – but again, these are very rare. </p>
<p>In some people these symptoms resolve quickly, but in others they can persist for weeks or months. Historically, there has been a lack of inquiry from doctors about nitrous oxide use, and a hesitancy for patients to disclose it. Recent publicity has helped to raise awareness of this issue in both patients and doctors.</p>
<p>The ACMD highlighted that restricting access to nitrous oxide would be felt by not just those using the drug recreationally. It has a long history of use as an anaesthetic (“gas and air”), a car-fuel additive, and in catering as a propellant and food preservative. </p>
<p>Recent research has also investigated its use as an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36191556/">antidepressant</a>. If controlled under the MDA, a significant number of people and organisations would be subject to stricter regulations. New laws would still have to facilitate legitimate uses, and resolving this – for example, special licensing of purchasers – would present significant resource and administrative burdens. </p>
<p>Although the ACMD doesn’t recommend controlling the drug under the MDA, they do make some practical <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/publication-of-acmds-review-on-nitrous-oxide">suggestions</a> to reduce social and health problems. These include recommending restricting online sales of the drug, through to providing health warnings on packaging used for the drug as has been introduced in other countries such as France. </p>
<p>They also suggest that the government considers giving the police more powers to intervene when they suspect nitrous oxide is about to be used for recreational purposes. Local powers such as Public Spaces Protection Orders could also be introduced to prohibit use in public places, with fixed penalty notices rather than criminal records as punishments. </p>
<p>Littering of canisters is an individual responsibility, but could also be addressed through existing powers, and strategies to improve recycling and responsible waste disposal.</p>
<p>Ultimately, the ACMD is an independent body, and while the home secretary is obliged by law to seek their expert advice, she is at <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27921832">liberty to ignore it</a>. Were this to happen, it would be a political decision. </p>
<p>The drugs policy field is not unique in this regard and decision-makers have to balance a range of considerations and competing interests, so issues of politics cannot be ignored. But if the home secretary introduced stricter controls and punishments, any problems associated with the use of nitrous oxide would not simply go away. There is a high level of demand – and, as the ACMD highlights, control under the MDA can have “significant unintended consequences”, and that is no laughing matter.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201265/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Harry Sumnall receives and has received funding from public grant awarding bodies for alcohol and other drugs research. He is an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Mind Foundation. He is also a former unpaid member of the UK Government Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs referenced in this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ian Hamilton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs says sale and possession of laughing gas for recreational use should not be banned.Ian Hamilton, Honorary Fellow, Department of Health Sciences, University of YorkHarry Sumnall, Professor in Substance Use, Liverpool John Moores UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1897222022-09-07T15:03:19Z2022-09-07T15:03:19ZNitrous oxide: neurologists report a worrying rise in young people with paralysis<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/482815/original/file-20220905-22-nvf176.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=294%2C11%2C2887%2C1719&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/used-cannisters-nitrous-oxide-dumped-among-1520516003">P. Qvist/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/notting-hill-carnival-laughing-gas-nitrous-oxide-suez-uk-kensington-chelsea-b1022503.html">Three and a half tonnes of nitrous oxide canisters</a> were collected at Notting Hill carnival in London this year. According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, nitrous oxide (also known as nos, whippits and laughing gas) is the second most commonly used recreational drug after cannabis among 16- to 24-year-olds. </p>
<p>Nitrous oxide use is a growing and worrying trend. One of the authors (Nikos Evangelou) was on call last week at an NHS hospital in Nottingham when an 18-year-old man was admitted unable to move his legs due to inhaling too much nos. The same week, another young man came to the emergency department with similar but milder symptoms after nos exposure. Two GPs also called in the same week for advice about three young patients with very similar symptoms after inhaling nos. </p>
<p>The 18-year-old patient told us that two of his friends developed numbness in their legs and unsteadiness after using nos. It took them eight months to recover. And last month, another young man in Nottingham was admitted to hospital with exactly the same symptoms. </p>
<p>Typical neurological symptoms due to nos inhalation include tingling in the feet, which can spread to the hands, and unsteadiness while walking or numbness in the legs. If not treated and the person continues to use nos, it can lead to weakness in the arms and legs as well as problems with memory. Even when patients are being treated, many will remain disabled for months or years.</p>
<p>We hardly ever encountered nos-related neurological problems a year ago – and we are not alone. We have spoken to other neurology units in the UK, and it appears to be happening all over the UK.</p>
<p>And in the Netherlands, the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395921004370?via%3Dihub">Dutch Poisons Information Center</a> reported last year that the rate of NOS poisonings had increased alarmingly. </p>
<p>Nitrous oxide is an anaesthetic gas with pain-relieving and anti-anxiety properties. As part of medical training, anaesthetists and neurologists learn about the potential harms of this colourless gas, but until recently, it was mainly an exam question of the type: “What type of neuropathy (disease of the nerves) are dentists more likely to get?” </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(78)92101-3/fulltext">report in The Lancet in 1978</a> raised the alarm for the same neurological disorder we now see, caused by prolonged exposure to nitrous oxide in 15 patients, all but one of whom were dentists. Now, with better regulations and education, dentists are unlikely to suffer from nos-related nerve damage.</p>
<p>Most of us hardly met a patient with nos-related neuropathy before last year.</p>
<h2>How it damages nerves</h2>
<p>Nitrous oxide causes nerve damage because it inactivates vitamin B12. This vitamin is essential for maintaining healthy myelin, the insulation that surrounds our nerves. When vitamin B12 is lacking or when it becomes inactivated, the nerves malfunction and people become unsteady or paralysed.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.15370">study from France</a> found that men are six times more likely than women to suffer from nos-related nerve damage. But women are actually more vulnerable because they are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.15370">more likely to have B12 deficiency</a>. So the study’s findings reflect the higher usage of nos by men. (Vegetarians and vegans also lack vitamin B12, so they are theoretically also at higher risk of nerve damage if they use nos.) </p>
<p>The more doses inhaled, the higher the risk. Some patients have reported more than <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881119882532">100 doses (balloons) per session</a>. This is probably the reason for the recent wave of cases we have seen.</p>
<h2>Easily abused</h2>
<p>Nos is easily abused because it’s cheap and easy to buy. It is sold in small aluminium canisters (whippits) that fill up one balloon, which users then inhale the gas from. During the last six to 12 months, though, large containers that can fill up to 80 or more balloons have been available to buy online. </p>
<p>These large containers have become much more common, costing around £25, making each dose even cheaper. We suspect that this has led to larger doses being inhaled by some users. Sadly, we need to be prepared for more young people being admitted to hospital.</p>
<p>Drug experts think that nitrous oxide use is unlikely to reduce as a result of a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881119882532">change in regulation or law enforcement</a>. Realistically, education is our best weapon. We need to educate users to stop using nos when they first develop tingling and to immediately seek medical help. We also need to educate healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat nos-induced B12 deficiency. At the moment, this education is sorely lacking.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189722/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Two neurologists report on the rising cases of paralysis due to nitrous oxide abuse they have encountered in recent times.Nikos Evangelou, Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of NottinghamRasha Abdel-Fahim, Research Associate, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, University of NottinghamLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1761832022-02-28T14:00:23Z2022-02-28T14:00:23ZDeath from nitrous oxide and other volatile substances – latest official data<p>Drugs such as cocaine and cannabis are seldom out of the headlines, but it is <a href="https://theconversation.com/volatile-substance-abuse-a-problem-that-never-went-away-101215">rare to read</a> about another class of drugs - volatile substances. Volatile substances <a href="https://www.re-solv.org/volatile-substance-abuse/">cover a range</a> of gases and chemicals that are commonly found in legal household products. Many people will be familiar with nitrous oxide (laughing gas), but these substances also include butane, glue and alkyl nitrites (poppers). </p>
<p>Once inhaled, they are quickly absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream, passing to the brain. As central nervous system depressants they produce <a href="https://theconversation.com/criminalising-nitrous-oxide-users-is-no-laughing-matter-if-it-distracts-from-more-serious-drug-problems-167297">intoxicating effects</a> that last only a few minutes. This can range from euphoria to less welcome visual or auditory hallucinations.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/deathsrelatedtovolatilesubstancesheliumandnitrogeninenglandandwales/2001to2020registrations">new report</a> from the Office for National Statistics reveals that these substances are not completely benign. Between 2001 and 2020, 716 people in England and Wales died as a result of using volatile substances. </p>
<p>While the annual rate of death has remained stable at 36 people a year, what is striking is the rise in the average age of fatalities, from 28 years old in 2001 to 46 in 2020. The majority (78%) of these are male. </p>
<p>Although we don’t know why there has been a rise in the average age of death, it is possible that, as with drugs like heroin, there is an ageing cohort of users. And like those using heroin, this older group often has complicating physical health problems such as respiratory or heart-related problems that increase their risk of dying.</p>
<p>Although nitrous oxide was recorded in 56 deaths between 2001 and 2020, and is currently subject to government review potentially ahead of <a href="https://theconversation.com/criminalising-nitrous-oxide-users-is-no-laughing-matter-if-it-distracts-from-more-serious-drug-problems-167297">further legal controls</a>, it is gases such as butane and propane that are the most commonly recorded on death certificates, accounting for 324 and 123 deaths respectively during the same period. </p>
<p>Both are found in lighter fuels and some aerosols. The <a href="https://www.re-solv.org/volatile-substance-abuse/butane-and-other-gases/">most common risks</a> from exposure to these gases is from choking or asphyxiation or from heart failure referred to as <a href="https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/drugs/inhalants/sudden-sniffing-death-syndrome/">sudden sniffing death syndrome</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Discarded nitrous oxide canisters and the balloons used to 'huff' them." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448882/original/file-20220228-19-10b7iw3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448882/original/file-20220228-19-10b7iw3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448882/original/file-20220228-19-10b7iw3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448882/original/file-20220228-19-10b7iw3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448882/original/file-20220228-19-10b7iw3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448882/original/file-20220228-19-10b7iw3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448882/original/file-20220228-19-10b7iw3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Laughing gas (nitrous oxide) can kill.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nitrous-oxide-canisters-cream-puff-chargers-1492734482">Lois GoBe/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Misperception</h2>
<p>A popular perception is that the use of volatile substances as drugs largely ceased in the 1980s, <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/drugmisuseinenglandandwalesappendixtable">but surveys</a> of population drug use suggest otherwise. Volatile substances are second only in popularity to cannabis <a href="https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/smoking-drinking-and-drug-use-among-young-people-in-england/2018#resources">in schoolchildren</a>. They are also more likely to be used at much earlier ages, which is a risk factor for more problematic substance use in later adolescence.</p>
<p>Nearly one in ten people aged 16-24 years old reported using nitrous oxide in the year up to March 2020 – the last year that data is available because of the pandemic. This compares with one in 50 adults aged 16-59. Unfortunately, despite concerns about use in children, data on the use of other volatile substances such as glue and aerosols is not routinely reported in older age groups.</p>
<p>Given how widely available these volatile substances are, and their use in everything from baking equipment to DIY, restricting access to those who might misuse them is difficult. As volatile substances are marked for household or industrial purposes, they are readily available for the adult population. However, the supply for intoxicating purposes (except for alkyl nitrites) is an offence under the <a href="https://www.re-solv.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/APPG-Report-on-NPS-VSA.pdf">Psychoactive Substances Act 2016</a>. Likewise, age-restricted sales of butane lighter fuel for any purpose is controlled under the Cigarette Lighter Refill (Safety) Regulations 1999. </p>
<p>But health promotion campaigns offer some hope. Analysis of an earlier UK Department of Health campaign in February 1992, which was aimed at parents warning them of the dangers of misusing volatile substances, appears to have had some <a href="https://www.re-solv.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/VSA-annual-report-no22.pdf">effect on fatalities</a>. At the time, there was an estimated 62% fall in deaths related to these substances following the campaign.</p>
<p>However, with new products on the market, and the rise in popularity of nitrous oxide, these campaigns need to be updated. Despite the clear harms, there has been little in the way of official public health activity regarding these substances. </p>
<h2>Up-to-date campaigns are needed</h2>
<p>The recent <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/from-harm-to-hope-a-10-year-drugs-plan-to-cut-crime-and-save-lives/from-harm-to-hope-a-10-year-drugs-plan-to-cut-crime-and-save-lives">UK Drug Strategy</a> makes no specific mention of these compounds, nor does the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/misuse-of-illicit-drugs-and-medicines-applying-all-our-health/misuse-of-illicit-drugs-and-medicines-applying-all-our-health#taking-action">updated guidance</a> to health professionals and others who might come into contact with people who use drugs.</p>
<p>Although drugs education forms part of the statutory <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education">health education</a> delivered in English schools, there is no mention of volatile substances in the official <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-drugs-alcohol-and-tobacco">training materials</a> for teachers from the Department for Education. It is left to charities such as the <a href="https://pshe-association.org.uk/drugeducation">PSHE Association</a> and <a href="https://www.re-solv.org/">Re-Solv</a> to provide resources and activities for schools to address these substances.</p>
<p>There is also a concern that not only are deaths from volatile substances under-recorded, but due to the <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/DAT-08-2018-0039/full/html?casa_token=V3sO5yvlTLUAAAAA:6_IxBtBOsuGTznLlGQ-MLMROmYpkAZfPbndaVgKptHmBFFfiAT_gqZEVctbrzGURqH3nrdVm1SYhZfb_6BQujCglnnwZgE2UKIXnaIfT-d0vd7f7okfocQ">stigma associated</a> with using substances like glue and lighter fluid, even within people who take drugs, those that develop problems are not seeking treatment. </p>
<p>These substances are rarely asked about when someone does present to services, and there are workforce issues in drug services generally, with high caseloads, and training that is orientated towards drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine. This means that even if someone does decide to seek support, then workers may not have the necessary skills to support them. There is a risk that none of the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/largest-ever-increase-in-funding-for-drug-treatment">recently announced</a> increases in funding for drug services will be spent on developing activities to help people experiencing problems with volatile substances. </p>
<p>The most pressing need is for government, education and health agencies to recognise the problem. The average number of deaths related to volatile substances has not decreased over the last 20 years, and, without action, this trend will continue. Unlike other drugs, data on volatile substance deaths, hospitalisations, and treatment episodes are rarely reported, with this new report being something of a rarity. </p>
<p>A renewed public health campaign about the risks of using these substances should be accompanied by advice on how to reduce the potential risks. It may seem counter-intuitive to provide information on how to minimise harm when using these substances, but it could save lives.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176183/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Harry Sumnall receives and has received funding from public grant awarding bodies for alcohol and other drugs research. He is an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Mind Foundation, and a former unpaid member of the UK Government Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ian Hamilton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In 2001, the average age of death from a volatile substance was 28. By 2020, it had risen to 46.Ian Hamilton, Associate Professor of Addiction, University of YorkHarry Sumnall, Professor in Substance Use, Liverpool John Moores UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/843912017-09-21T11:14:28Z2017-09-21T11:14:28ZSir Humphry Davy used poetry and theatre to bring science to life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186985/original/file-20170921-8179-1xhc04i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">James Gillray's 'Scientific Researches! - New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! - or - an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air’ from 1802.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Royal Institution of Great Britain</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/davy_humphrey.shtml">Sir Humphry Davy</a> fascinated rapturous crowds when he delivered his lectures in chemistry to the Royal Institution in London. In the late 1700s and early 1800s and in sumptuous surroundings, Davy would demonstrate – with whizzes and bangs – the latest chemical discoveries. His audiences were not just made up of fellow scientists but also poets and genteel ladies of the fashionable West End. </p>
<p>His experiments with nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, and his invention of the miner’s safety lamp went down in history – but perhaps his greatest legacy is what he did for science communication and breaking down the barriers between the sciences and the arts.</p>
<p>Davy’s lectures were charismatic and explosive (sometimes literally, see the recreation of his exploding volcano demonstration <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxRHQ1xfnWc">here</a>). And they were often poetic. Now, as the first edition of the <a href="http://davy-letters.org.uk/">Collected Letters of Humphry Davy</a> is set to be published, it is perhaps time to take another look at one of Britain’s most renowned scientists.</p>
<p>It has been almost six decades since CP Snow famously argued that there were <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01phhy5">“two cultures”</a> of the arts and sciences. He thought that an unbridgeable chasm divided those who worked in these fields, that they had become so specialised they no longer had the language to talk to each other. Whether you think that this was true then or is true now, Davy – as a poet and a chemist – shows that any such chasm can be bridged. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186987/original/file-20170921-30644-1hjltkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186987/original/file-20170921-30644-1hjltkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=768&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186987/original/file-20170921-30644-1hjltkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=768&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186987/original/file-20170921-30644-1hjltkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=768&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186987/original/file-20170921-30644-1hjltkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=964&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186987/original/file-20170921-30644-1hjltkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=964&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/186987/original/file-20170921-30644-1hjltkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=964&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Portrait of Humphry Davy by H W Pickersgill from 1831.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Royal Institution of Great Britain</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="http://www.rigb.org/our-history/humphry-davy">Davy</a> was born in relatively humble circumstances, the son of a wood carver in Penzance. Even as a child, his sister reported that: “At home, he would shut himself up in his room, arrange the chairs and lecture them by the hour.”</p>
<p>Many of his first poems date from this period. Poems about <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mounts-bay">Mounts Bay</a> and other Cornish landscapes, as well as a poem in which Davy’s personal ambition was laid bare, entitled Sons of Genius. He drew comparisons between the ordinary man (who finds explanations for natural wonders in superstition) and a scientific genius: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>While superstition rules the vulgar soul,</p>
<p>Forbids the energies of man to rise,</p>
<p>Raised far above her low, her mean control,</p>
<p>Aspiring genius seeks her native skies.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Davy was first apprenticed to an apothecary but after he showed precocious talents he was allowed to escape his indentures and instead went to work with the politically radical chemist <a href="http://rsnr.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/63/3/211">Thomas Beddoes</a>, who supported the ideals of the French revolution, at his new Medical Pneumatic Institute in Bristol. He arrived in Bristol before the age of 20. </p>
<p>On this journey, in 1798, Davy witnessed the celebrations for Nelson’s victory at the <a href="http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/battle-nile">Battle of the Nile</a>. These were interesting times politically: there were riots and much government repression. At Bristol, Davy joined a vibrant group of literary intellectuals and medical practitioners, such as the poet <a href="https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/samuel-taylor-coleridge">Samuel Taylor Coleridge</a> and the author of the thesaurus (and physician) Peter Mark Roget. </p>
<h2>Making science accessible</h2>
<p>It was at Bristol that Davy decided to trial breathing nitrous oxide, a gas thought to be fatal. In what seems a remarkably foolhardy exercise to us today, Davy discovered that not only could nitrous oxide be breathed, it also offered euphoric effects. <a href="https://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters">Robert Southey</a>, who would become Poet Laureate in 1813, said: “Davy has invented a new pleasure for which language has no name.” Davy also noted that intense physical pain was lessened when breathing the gas and suggested its use in surgical experiments. Sadly, this suggestion was not taken up for many decades after Davy’s recommendation but nitrous oxide did eventually become an important anaesthetic. </p>
<p>In 1801, Davy moved to London to take up a position at the <a href="http://www.rigb.org/">Royal Institution of Great Britain</a> and it was there that he made his name. He isolated more chemical elements than any other individual has before or since using the new science of electro-chemistry. He is credited with the isolation of nine chemical elements, including sodium and potassium. His lectures established the Royal Institution’s reputation for excellent and accessible lectures on science, which continue today in their <a href="http://www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures">Christmas Lecture series</a>. </p>
<p>It was also in London that he first received a call from coal mine owners in the northeast of England and he set to work on a miners’ safety lamp. While there were other lamps created at the same time, arguably the “Davy lamp” is the best known. He wrote poems about his lamp just as he wrote <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)60157-9/fulltext">poems</a> describing what it felt like to breathe nitrous oxide: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Not in the ideal dreams of wild desire,</p>
<p>Have I beheld a rapture wakening form,</p>
<p>My bosom burns with no unhallowed fire,</p>
<p>Yet is my cheek with rosy blushes warm.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Poetry was for him a way to express emotions, thoughts and feelings which had no place in his scientific writings. That said, the books he published could describe chemical experiments in a distinctly poetic language. Coleridge said that he went to Davy’s lectures to increase the number of metaphors that he could use in his poems. </p>
<p>Davy’s career asks us to rethink the fixed categories we sometimes use when considering science and the arts. The edition of letters that we are publishing reveals the true variety of topics on which Davy wrote and commented. Davy was at the vanguard of science communicators. And with his love of language and poetry he showed that it was possible to understand and be passionate about both science and the arts in equal measure.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/84391/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sharon Ruston is lead educator on an online course: Humphry Davy: Laughing gas, Literature and the Lamp. The course runs from 30 October 2017 and is a collaboration with the Royal Institution: <a href="http://www.futurelearn.com/courses/humphry-davy/1">www.futurelearn.com/courses/humphry-davy/1</a>.
She has received external funding for both the edition and the online course from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the British Academy, the British Society for the History of Science, the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry, the Modern Humanities Research Association, and the Wellcome Trust. </span></em></p>Sir Humphry Davy was the Professor Brian Cox of the 1800s.Sharon Ruston, Professor of English and Creative Writing, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/610962016-06-17T12:32:41Z2016-06-17T12:32:41ZBritain has the highest use of laughing gas in world – but is this ‘hippy crack’ dangerous?<p>According to the latest <a href="https://www.globaldrugsurvey.com/past-findings/the-global-drug-survey-2016-findings/">Global Drug Survey</a>, nitrous oxide – or laughing gas – is now the seventh most popular drug in the 50 countries surveyed. Just over half the UK respondents said they had tried the drug at some point, and 38% said they had used it in the last year, making it more popular in the UK than any other country.</p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127092/original/image-20160617-11107-1a4gq6k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127092/original/image-20160617-11107-1a4gq6k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127092/original/image-20160617-11107-1a4gq6k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127092/original/image-20160617-11107-1a4gq6k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127092/original/image-20160617-11107-1a4gq6k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=668&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127092/original/image-20160617-11107-1a4gq6k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=668&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127092/original/image-20160617-11107-1a4gq6k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=668&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Davy exploits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/publicdomainreview/14856839523/in/photolist-56yus1-s9bRqe-8tuB4B-mbVo1c-k5tPwY-34Ydj3-7mv3co-e8tmkZ-ojB1TB-5ZSpN-4ZY5Tt-644Ln2-7aaEX-cDPqiJ-7Gbc9T-8z6fyr-cW7JSs-bDQKBs-oCRbMz-qZFafU-2D33qS-4apWAd-nzEC9M-vccVZ-4wgfkR-6Jzq5p-9bBdFG-cHKZYm-cpgyEG-6rnMXT-7VQ3GA-ei3Q5a-58WAjf-uGimq-2sgZuV-fCTq4Z-5QPfNz-qPjQhX-dR4BHR-6wejqJ-FWqQT-PLUGA-6JUjyg-j9og9h-dgWBzx-oAZimJ-dR4Adg-6JNLYb-64jk9-4Z5MaP">Public Domain Review</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Nitrous oxide is a colourless, sweet tasting gas that has been used recreationally since the late 18th century, most notably by <a href="http://publicdomainreview.org/collections/the-nitrous-oxide-experiments-of-humphry-davy/">Sir Humphry Davy</a>, former president of the Royal Society. Medical use was established in the early 20th century and nitrous oxide remains an important anaesthetic, tranquilliser and painkiller, used by dentists, obstetricians and sports doctors. Indeed, many members of the public will have experienced the effects of nitrous oxide themselves without realising it. </p>
<p>The popularity of recreational use of nitrous oxide is unsurprising. It’s legal in many parts of the world, it’s cheap and it reliably produces a short-lasting euphoria as well as heightened senses and a slight feeling of disconnect from the body and is often used as a drug at concerts, nightclubs and festivals. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127101/original/image-20160617-11110-yrm977.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/127101/original/image-20160617-11110-yrm977.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127101/original/image-20160617-11110-yrm977.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127101/original/image-20160617-11110-yrm977.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127101/original/image-20160617-11110-yrm977.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127101/original/image-20160617-11110-yrm977.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/127101/original/image-20160617-11110-yrm977.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Leftovers: Glastonbury 2015.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/19084106149/in/photolist-7aaEX-3bZU7N-pgs3bE-v5p2SV">Paul Townsend/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And it can be combined with other drugs to alter the effects. Availability is affected by national laws but, generally, where the drug is available it is either dispensed from large canisters or small bulbs (“whippets”), into balloons, which is then used to inhale.</p>
<p>Because nitrous oxide has legitimate uses in the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-35606824">food industry</a> (to make whipped cream or in home brewing), it can easily be bought from online retailers such as catering companies. However, according to the Global Drug Survey, people are increasingly using <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-the-dark-web-46070">the darknet</a> to buy it.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/126981/original/image-20160616-15104-1mci18t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/126981/original/image-20160616-15104-1mci18t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126981/original/image-20160616-15104-1mci18t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126981/original/image-20160616-15104-1mci18t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126981/original/image-20160616-15104-1mci18t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126981/original/image-20160616-15104-1mci18t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126981/original/image-20160616-15104-1mci18t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Two whippets and a speckled hen.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&language=en&ref_site=photo&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&use_local_boost=1&autocomplete_id=&searchterm=nitrous%20oxide&show_color_wheel=1&orient=&commercial_ok=&media_type=images&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&color=&page=1&inline=291021131">Lenscap Photography / Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Not a high risk drug</h2>
<p>Nitrous oxide is considered to have relatively <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/acmd-advice-on-nitrous-oxide-abuse">low toxicity</a>. However, it can cause dizziness, so there’s a risk of harm from falling. There are also case reports of dependence in people – often medical professionals – who have access to <a href="http://www.peertechz.com/Addiction-Medicine-Therapeutic-Science/JAMTS-1-103.pdf">large quantities of the drug</a>.</p>
<p>Risks can vary, depending on how the drug is administered. Inhaling nitrous oxide directly from a pressurised canister can damage the lungs. And, although rare, a <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0379073895017293">few people have died</a> from asphyxiation after passing out while their mouth and nose are connected to a tube or surgical mask, or where a bag containing nitrous oxide has been placed over the head.</p>
<p>Most users inhale the drug from balloons or small bulbs, and the dose administered is low, so the risk of asphyxiation is almost nonexistent. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126738/original/image-20160615-14045-edt76p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">% of reported drug use in last 12 months.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Global Drug Survey</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Top up on B12</h2>
<p>Long-term and heavy-use of nitrous oxide can lead to vitamin deficiency and anaemia as a result of the <a href="http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/blog/hey-uk-government-stop-ruining-our-summertime-festivals-balloons-and-poppers-banned">inactivation of vitamin B12</a> in the body, although the incidence of this is unknown. Vitamin B deficiency can cause tingling in the fingers, toes and extremities which can last for hours or days. More severe cases can lead to numbness and difficulty walking, and the risks are heightened in people who are already B12 deficient. </p>
<p>The recent drug survey asked people who had used nitrous oxide to report whether they had experienced such symptoms, and 4% said they had, although it is not possible through a self-report survey to assess if this was actually related to nitrous oxide use. People who use nitrous oxide regularly, sometimes take B12 supplements to avoid these symptoms. </p>
<p>We don’t really know why use of this drug has risen. All we do know is that like fashion, drug use changes over time. What is popular today is likely to change in the future. Making the cat and mouse game of prohibiting substances deemed harmful so impotent.</p>
<p>The Psychoactive Substances Act, which came into force in the UK in May 2016 is intended to burst the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/psychoactive-substances-bill-2015">ballooning use</a> of nitrous oxide in Britain. But will suppliers and users have the last laugh? Next years global survey of drug use might provide the answer.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/61096/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Harry Sumnall has received recent funding for substance use related research from organisations including NIHR, the European Commission, and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). He is a member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD); the views expressed herein are personal and do not represent those of the ACMD.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ian Hamilton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>From medical use to getting high on balloons, nitrous oxide is in popular demand.Ian Hamilton, Lecturer in Mental Health, University of YorkHarry Sumnall, Professor, Liverpool John Moores UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/367312015-01-26T17:32:57Z2015-01-26T17:32:57ZGreenhouse gas: why nitrous oxide is no laughing matter for the environment<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70026/original/image-20150126-24515-zxl8ik.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Good for plants, bad for the atmosphere.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roadsidepictures/6616687419">Roadsidepictures</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Carbon dioxide is the “face” of the greenhouse gases, but nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) merits its own spotlight. The same “laughing gas” once used by dentists as an anaesthetic and used today by people looking for a quick, giggly high, turns out to be pretty bad for the environment.</p>
<p>Nitrous oxide (a molecule made of two nitrogen atoms and an oxygen atom) is over 300 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO<sub>2</sub> and accounts for 6.3% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions. If nations are to meet their climate change targets, they need to pay attention to N<sub>2</sub>O.</p>
<p>While the gas is best known for its recreational uses, most of it is actually generated through farming, where microbes in the soil combine oxygen (from the air) and nitrogen (added to farmland) to create new compounds. This results in the leaking of N<sub>2</sub>O gas from the soil. As more nitrogen is added to the soil more N<sub>2</sub>O is emitted, so the best way to manage emissions is to control the nitrogen added via synthetic fertilisers, manures and slurries.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70019/original/image-20150126-24531-1qz2tvc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70019/original/image-20150126-24531-1qz2tvc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70019/original/image-20150126-24531-1qz2tvc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70019/original/image-20150126-24531-1qz2tvc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70019/original/image-20150126-24531-1qz2tvc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70019/original/image-20150126-24531-1qz2tvc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70019/original/image-20150126-24531-1qz2tvc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Won’t somebody think of the atmosphere?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/publicdomainreview/14835789534">Wellcome Library</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This century, the world faces a challenge to supply enough nitrogen to maximise crop yields while reducing the release of excess nitrogen into the surrounding environment as pollution. It’s an issue I looked at in a recent report for the <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/briefing-papers/POST-PN-486/emissions-from-crops">Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology</a>. </p>
<p>Nitrogen is an essential element for life, but it is mostly present as an unreactive gas, dinitrogen (N<sub>2</sub>), which only a few organisms can use directly. Agriculture was revolutionised in the early 20th century when the large-scale industrial synthesis of nitrogen fertiliser became possible. Food production increased and population growth followed; but huge amounts of nitrogen have subsequently been added to soils and the increase of N<sub>2</sub>O emissions is the inevitable result.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=298&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=298&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=298&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70004/original/image-20150126-24505-idzpay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nitrogen used in fertilisers has increased ten-fold since 1961.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://faostat3.fao.org/download/G1/GY/E">FAOSTAT</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are some scientific developments which could help to reduce nitrogen emissions while maintaining crop yields and so global food production levels. A few are listed here. </p>
<p>Instead of applying fertilisers equally across a field, <a href="http://www.fwi.co.uk/machinery/how-precision-farming-is-changing-uk-agriculture.htm">precision farming</a> allows farmers to fine-tune the location and amount of fertiliser spread by machines. This is based on soil and plant condition measurements and associated software-generated maps – optimising the yield and reducing fertiliser waste (pollution) and cost. In 2012, 20% of English farms used soil mapping to optimise fertiliser applications. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70030/original/image-20150126-24521-1o54rn6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70030/original/image-20150126-24521-1o54rn6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70030/original/image-20150126-24521-1o54rn6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70030/original/image-20150126-24521-1o54rn6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70030/original/image-20150126-24521-1o54rn6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70030/original/image-20150126-24521-1o54rn6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70030/original/image-20150126-24521-1o54rn6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Infra-red satellites help farmers learn more about their land.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Precision_Farming_in_Minnesota_-_False_Colour_(part).jpg">NASA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Plants could be bred to enable a reduction in nitrogen fertiliser. Most commercial plant breeding focuses on maximising crop yields under optimal plant growth conditions, which include a requirement for high levels of nitrogen (usually delivered via fertilisers). Some researchers <a href="http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/07/renewing-global-commitment-crop-breeding">have argued</a> for programmes which focus on breeding plants that <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11104-014-2212-8#page-1">perform better</a> under lower nitrogen conditions. </p>
<p>The final option is further away from realisation: the crops’ genetics can be altered to reduce the need for nitrogen fertilisers. Some plants such as legumes (e.g. clover and beans) work with bacteria to convert unreactive N<sub>2</sub> from the air into a form that is available to the plant. Scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have recently begun research that aims to transfer this capability <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18846538">into cereal crops</a>.</p>
<p>These research efforts are part of an international focus to sustainably intensify agricultural production: increasing yields without adversely affecting the environment or cultivating more land. Nitrous oxide is critical to the debate on climate change, which means that farming is too.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/36731/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Beth Brockett receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council and received funding from the British Ecological Society for her Fellowship at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. </span></em></p>Carbon dioxide is the “face” of the greenhouse gases, but nitrous oxide (N2O) merits its own spotlight. The same “laughing gas” once used by dentists as an anaesthetic and used today by people looking…Beth Brockett, PhD student, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.